So, this weekend was a weekend of firsts. I booked my first gym session of the year and decided to try something completely new. Hot Yoga. I’ve tried Yoga classes before but soon discovered I’m more of a Pilates girl preferring the challenging core workout that it provides. Confident with my downward dog, I shoehorned myself into my Zaggora hot pants and skipped off to the Yoga Pad in Horsforth with my BFF, prepared to ease my way into a fresh exercise schedule with a bit of light stretching. What I wasn’t prepared for was a gruelling workout that rivalled even the most hard core personal training session I have ever experienced.
My Sweaty Betty Yoga Mat
After approx three seconds, I was sweating. I’m not a sweater, I can get through half a spin class without breaking a sweat but this is something I was not prepared for. Some of the poses and postures were familiar but factor in the 90 degree heat and you have got yourself a workout that shares few similarities of the gentle paced Yoga class you might have done in the past. There are 26 poses in total and you repeat them twice. The hot yoga class is around an hour and boasts an impressive calorie burn of 500-1000 calories. Being a newbie, there was plenty of wobbling and giggling but very little judging from the more advanced yoga bunnies among us.
Things you will need to become a hot yoga bunny:
- A Yoga Mat-I bought a shiny pink one from Sweaty Betty (obvs).
- A large towel that covers most of your yoga mat*
- A large bottle of water
- A hair bobble
- Lycra gym gear/Zaggora hot pants
- A pedicure-Sweating in close proximity to 15 other people is one thing, having less than perfect toes is just unacceptable.
*Especially if you are renting a mat as I quickly learned as the yoga teacher chanted “you sweat on the mat you buy the mat, you sweat on the mat you buy the mat! Perching on a face towel is not fun.
Hot Yoga Bunny Fails:
Talking/laughing above a whisper-The Yoga studio is no such place for frolics and frivolity. It is an SSS. Serious. Sweat-fest. Situation
Breathing normally-When practicing hot yoga you must adopt a loud inward and outward breath that I have nicknamed Dragon breath.
Wearing Pink Zaggora Hot Pants-Opt for black Zaggoras as they will not show the sweat .
How are your fitness resolutions coming along? Visit my Pinterest page for more inspiration. x
I’m just about to sign up for Hot Yoga for the first time and stumbled across this blog, which has made me chuckle quite a lot! My toes are currently polished to perfection, but that is about the only thing I have going for me in this situation!!
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Sometimes you have to laugh. Good luck with your first class! x